I imUM OF C'lXGRESS. t 

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|li\[TED STATKS OF AMERICA. J 



^ THE 



GRAPE GROWER'S GUIDE, 



PLAIN AND PRACTICAL WORK 



UPON THE 



MANAGEMENT OF THE GRAPE VINE. 



BY J. KEECH, WATERLOO, N. Y. 




AUBURN, N. Y.: 

WM. J. M03K3- PUBLISHING HOUSE, 16 CLAttK STKBBT. 
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR. 

1869. 



Enterkd, aocordiiij2: (o Act of ConprosB, in tlie v<^nr 1869, by J. IvEEcm in the 
1% Clfrl^'a Office of the District Court of tlio United States," for the Northern 
District of New York. 



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THE G-EAPE YIN^. 

ITS. M:A.TV^lLGJ-E3i:ii:iVT. 

The want of a simple, plain and practical instructor in the 
management of the Grape Vine, is felt by almost every indi- 
vidual who wishes to set even a small number of vines. 

There is existino; an impression almost universal amono-st 
inexperienced persons, in regard to the training and man- 
agement of the vine, viz : that it is very difficult to under- 
stand, without a long and experimental knowledge of its 
culture. To this I would say, that a spark of light given at 
the proper time, will drive away all darkness upon this 
point. For certainly, there can be nothing more simple 
and easily understood, than the rearing of the vine, from its 
settino; until the fruiting: state arrives, and after this, a uni- 
form treatment is required, with very little variation, if 
proper rules are adhered to in season. 

In attempting to give my own views upon this subject, 1 



do not mean to convey the idea that there are not suitable 
and valuable works already before the public, upon this sub- 
ject, for certainly there are many very good works. But my 
experience is, that as we are almost daily coming in posses- 
sion of some improvement for the advancement of our 
earthly occupations, our desires have almost come to the 
conclusion that nothing but steam and lightning will suffice. 
Hence, short sermons, or brief descriptions, full of practical 
utility — something that the new beginner can procure for 
a small sum, and when wanted, to apply to practical use, 
can understand at a glance — a work of this description 1 
propose to furnish ; being based upon my own experience 
in the practical culture of the Grape and Vine for years. 

SETTING OF THE VINE. 

In the first place, I will commence with the setting of the 
vine, which is very simple and easily accomplished. About 
the only thing that would seem necessary in this operation, 
is to caution all against mixing barn-yard manure with the 
earth which is thrown upon the roots. In planting, put 
nothing but the plain, well pulverized eai'th. Plant in 
ground where water does not stand ; almost any soil, if dry, 
will answer. Clay is best. In placing the vine in the 



ground, leave two buds above the surface, and spread the 
roots in different directions, and get the extremities as deep 
as the roots will reach when they are cut to about twelve 
inches in length. The distance apart, eight feet in row ; 
rows ten feet apart. The vine set, drive a stake, sharpened 
at the lower end, into the ground, within four or five inches 
of the vine, when the buds are started about two inches. 
If a one year vine, rub all off but one. No further atten- 
tion is necessary, only to keep the ground well worked 
through the summer, and to tie the growing cane to the 
stake. If it is a healthy, good vine, it will make a cane six 
or eight feet high. 

AUTUMN PRUNING. 

At the end of the season, about three weeks 
after the foliage is off, cut the upright cane off 
about ten inches above the ground. Cover 
the short cane left with earth, before the ground 
freezes, thus left until spring. The line shown 
in cut No. 1, indicates the locality for cutting 
the cane off at the end of the season, beinsr 

the first year\s growth of a one-year-old vine before setting. 

Second vear's p-rowth. which will be the same as would be 




Fig. 1. 



produced by the first year of a good strong two-year-old 
vine, when set. 

SECOND YEAR. 

At the approach of the season wdien vegetation begins 
to start, remove the earth from over the vine, exposing 
it to the natural elements. At the time when the buds 
have attained a growth of about two inches, rub all off 
but two ; the strongest buds leave for the arms. When 
long enough to reach the lower wire on the trellis, tie 
th,em to the wire, in the manner shown in cut No. 2. 




Figure 2. 

As these two canes grow, keep them confined to the 
horizontal wire, allowing them to make as much growth as 
they will, observing always to change the position of the 
canes at the junction, to prevent the canes from splitting 
apart when they are to be laid upon the ground tor winter 
protection, at the end of the season. If the canes are ripe 
and sound to the length of one half the distance between 
the vines, which would be four feet each way, sup])osing the 



vines to be set eight feet apart, cut both canes off at this 
length, also any laterals or side shoots, leaving two smooth 
canes for arms, as shown in cut No. 2. At the proper time, 
before the ground freezes, cut loose the canes from the wire, 
bend them gently to the ground, and either fasten them 
down with pegs of wood, or throw a sufficient amount of 
earth upon them, to hold them to the ground. This being 
done, the}^ will remain safe until spring. When the weather 
is suitable, in the following spring, uncover, and tie the canes 
to the wire. This brings you to the third year. 

THIRD YEAR FIRST FRUITING SEASON. 

At this stage, the vine will show signs of fruiting. How- 
ever, but little should be kept to mature. At the proper sea- 
son of the year, buds will shoot from the canes. This, ob- 
serve, is the third year from setting, which will be the begin- 
ning of fruiting. The buds will start at distances varying 
from four to ten inches apart, owing to variety. In order to 
give sufficient circulation of air and light, it is best to leave 
the buds about twelve inches apart, the intermediates being 
rubbed off. These canes will generally show fruit blossoms ; 
all should be taken off, except, perhaps one cluster to each 
cane. The vine will show a beautiful apijearance, throwing 



8 

up its vertical canes towards the top of the trellis, showing 
the clusters of grapes at the base. When the upright canes 
reach the top wire, which will be about mid-summer, do 
not go to cutting and slashing, but assist the canes to direct 
their course upon the upper wire, in a horizontal direction ; 
a very little tying will effect this object. The trellis will, 
at mid-summer, present a view as shown in cut No. 3. This 




Figurr 3. 

is quite as much fruit as any vine should bear the first bear- 
ing year. The vine is established, and shows as much wood 
as ever should be left to grow at any time, for fruiting, if 
fine, large clusters of well ripened fruit is desired. 

UNIFORM MODE OF PRUNING. 



The yearly uniform mode of pruning now commenc 



es. 



At the proper time of pruning, which can be done at any 
time before the weather becomes severe in autumn, leave 
the horizontal arms as they are. Here is the point at which 
most cultivators fail, it being essential to produce young 
wood for fruiting the ensuing year. 

TO produgp: bearing wood. 

New wood cannot be obtained in the proper locality, un- 
less a portion of the current year's wood is cut away, form- 
ing a stopping place for the sap, which, when stopped, forces 
the extreme bud upon the cut cane, to put forth and form 
the continuation of the severed cane. Hence the necessity of 
cutting, in order to renew young bearing wood. 

For example : if all the upright canes in cut No. 3, were 
left to remain and bear fruit, the next year the vine would 
be entirely destitute of new wood for the next season's fruit- 
ing; except the bearing hiterals, and in order to secure 
these, the entire trellis of upright canes would need to be 
left, which have become large and stiff', inconvenient to lay 
down, and being the cause of conveying the sap further 
from the root every year, making the very best part of the 
vine entirely barren, destitute of new wood. 

But in order to remedy this objection, some modes are 



10 

given : by cutting every other cane at the first bud above 
the arm, alternately every year, leaving each year one half 
the upright canes to fruit and the other half to grow new 
canes for the next year's fruiting. This is a very good mode, 
if you will always take the fruit off the new cane, which if 
left on, very often robs it of sufficient nourishment to become 
a good strong cane. 

MANNER OF PRODUCING EARLY FRUIT. 

X better and much surer mode I would recommend, 
as never failing to produce a crop of grapes, and to ripen 
them several days earlier under the circumstances, and hav- 
ing assurance of the buds ;dl shooting — one not having the 
advantage of the other in conveying sa}). 

When the vines, are permanently established, as is 
shown in drawing No. three, instead of cutting every 
other cane at the first bud above the arm, I propose to cut 
all off, one bud above the arm, every year ; and instead of 
allowing the upper bud to be extended for the next year's 
cutting, make the extension on the junction cane and cut 
the fruiting stub off, which will leave the horizontal arm 
without any old wood in the shape of spurs. 

Every year leave the one bud on the junction cane 



11 

and cut the other which has fruited off close to the arm. 
The cross lines on the outer upright canes, in cut No. four, 




Figure 4. 

show what is the result of cutting each year, upon the same 
cane. It is evident that each year, the young wood is car- 
ried up the space occupied between two buds, which at the 
end of five years, on a Concord vine, would be at least five 
feet high, of old hard wood, and not a bud below. 

But by leaving the extension on the junction bud cane, 
you will keep the arm at all times supplied with iiew, strong- 
wood, close down to the junction, and each year have the 
foliage of a strong cane extending to the top of the trellis. 
A goodly supply of healthy foliage must be had, in (jrder to 
secure a crop of good grapes. This mode of training and 
pruning, will secure a crop of grapes every year, if the sea- 
son is favorable, from any of the liealthy, hardy and early 



12 

varieties. In adopting the foregoing mode of pruning, you 
do away with the necessity of summer pruning entirely 
The fruit-bearing canes, in this mode, are entitled to the 
benefit of all the foliage that may be produced upon them, 
for without perfect leaves, grapes will not ripen. 

All of the hardy varieties do not require to be covered 
with earth ; Diana and Allen's Hybrid must be covered with 
earth in cold localities, as they are rather tender. 




Fif^rure 5. 

Drawing No. five, represents the vine in full bearing, 
the fourth year after planting, according to my mode of 
training and pruning ; the trellis being made of posts and 
number eleven wire ; posts twenty-five feet apart. Four 
wires ; first, twenty inches above ground ; distance between 
wires, fourteen inches. 

This cut shows the fruit only on the cane which was cut 



13 

one bud above the arm, the previous fall, leaving the junc- 
tion cane to grow strong. Double this quantity can be left 
upon the vine, by allowing the junction cane to bear ; but 
ten pounds well ripened grapes are much more valuable 
than twenty pounds half ripened. 

I have given you the quantity under which a vine will 
thrive and ripen its fruit every fevorable year, and from live 
to ten days earlier, than by the spur system upon the upright 
canes. I am well aware that some cultivators will think 
that there is not a sufficient amount of bearing wood left for 
fruiting, and I would here say, that more can be left if de- 
sired, by allowing all the buds to remain upon the horizon- 
tal arm, at the time of the first fruiting, as shown in cut 
number three. As the vines of many varieties will send 
forth buds frequently, at distances of not more than three 
inches apart, which upon an arm of four feet in length, 
would produce sixteen fruiting canes, two arms to a vine, 
you would have thirty-two upright bearing canes. Sup- 
pose you leave an average number of three clusters to the 
cane, you have here ninety-six clusters of grapes ; calculate 
live clusters to the pound, and your product will be almost 
twenty pounds to the vine. 



14 

This amount is admitted by all good cultivators, to be too 
great a crop for the good of the vine ; or to insure any de- 
gree of certainty in maturing the fruit; and all will agree, 
that there is but little profit or pleasure in having a vine 
heavily laden with fruit, unless they perfect their ripening, 
for green grapes are entirely worthless. Over bearing is 
one of the main causes of fliilure in grape culture. It not 
only prevents the ripening of the fruit, but also the young 
wood, for the next year's crop — both are left in an unripe 
condition — the result of which, is only calculated to dis- 
courage and" dishearten the cultivator, and he comes to the 
conclusion that grape growing is an unprofitable business ; 
whereas, if the rules mentioned in the foregoing description 
are adhered to, but little fears need be entertained of having 
a bountiful crop of first quality fruit ; if the variety is a good 
one and the season reasonably favorable. 

I would say here, that all nurserymen and vine dealers, 
of every description a.nd locality, will find this work an ad- 
mirable accpiisition to their business, as thousands of custom- 
ers might be secured, if this brief, simple, practical book of 
instructions were at hand, and offered at such a reduced 
price. Being embodied with every thing necessary for the 



15 

proper manngement of the vine, from the transplanting to 
the yearl}^ pruning, when in fruiting condition. It 1)eingso 
perfectly plain and practical, that I am satisfied it will give 
universal satisfaction to all parties interested. 

A liberal discount made to all Dealers, Nurserymen, Tree 
Acrents, Book Sellers, &c., at wholesale 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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